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Topic: Imperial Stout ingrediant advice (Read 1232 times)

Hi guys. Having recently ordered a small bourbon barrel (8 gallon from Woodinville’s maple syrup) I’m planning on making my first Imperial Stout and wanted to get some advice for the recipe. I’m working off of an 8 gallon BIAB setup so have to cut it with a little DME & sugars to get the gravity. Here’s my recipe so far:

If it were me, more roasted barley and chocolate. 50:50, 8-10% of the total.

Yea, I was thinking perhaps I should increase the dark malts. Think I should kill the Carafa III?

you can. it will probably be plenty black without it if you bump up the RB and Choc. some people like to use the carafa to restrain the roast via replacement. but I like roast - my american oatmeal stout 1.070SG, uses 16% between chocolate and roasted barley. wouldn't go that high in a RIS because there is some thought that the roast is more exponential than proportional, but I would definitely approach 10%, especially if you are going to age it.

black patent, to me, is more acrid. think black coffee (roasted barley) vs. black espresso (black patent). each have their place, just different flavors/acidity.

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I'll add that 4 oz of maple syrup is not going to do anything for you at all. I put 2 lb in 5 gallons of barley wine and it's a note, not the main note even but a note. unless you are just taking a guess on how much is in the barrel.

+1 to bumping up the roast malts. Personally, I'd drop the Carafa and use 8 oz each roasted barley and chocolate. And using the DME (which is less fermentable) I'd be sure to mash low, as in ~ 148 or 149F, to get down to the FG you're shooting for.

+1 to bumping up the roast malts. Personally, I'd drop the Carafa and use 8 oz each roasted barley and chocolate. And using the DME (which is less fermentable) I'd be sure to mash low, as in ~ 148 or 149F, to get down to the FG you're shooting for.

A lower mash would drop my estimated FG down to 1.016. You don't think dropping the temp would make it too light in body for the style?

Sounds good on the malts, just adjusted to a pound of 50-50 chocolate/rb

I'll add that 4 oz of maple syrup is not going to do anything for you at all. I put 2 lb in 5 gallons of barley wine and it's a note, not the main note even but a note. unless you are just taking a guess on how much is in the barrel.

Yea, maybe I'll kill the maple. Was figuring to try to compliment the maple barrel a bit but you're right that it's probably too low to recognize.

If it were me, more roasted barley and chocolate. 50:50, 8-10% of the total.

Yea, I was thinking perhaps I should increase the dark malts. Think I should kill the Carafa III?

you can. it will probably be plenty black without it if you bump up the RB and Choc. some people like to use the carafa to restrain the roast via replacement. but I like roast - my american oatmeal stout 1.070SG, uses 16% between chocolate and roasted barley. wouldn't go that high in a RIS because there is some thought that the roast is more exponential than proportional, but I would definitely approach 10%, especially if you are going to age it.

black patent, to me, is more acrid. think black coffee (roasted barley) vs. black espresso (black patent). each have their place, just different flavors/acidity.

+1 to bumping up the roast malts. Personally, I'd drop the Carafa and use 8 oz each roasted barley and chocolate. And using the DME (which is less fermentable) I'd be sure to mash low, as in ~ 148 or 149F, to get down to the FG you're shooting for.

A lower mash would drop my estimated FG down to 1.016. You don't think dropping the temp would make it too light in body for the style?

Sounds good on the malts, just adjusted to a pound of 50-50 chocolate/rb

Have you brewed this recipe before and reached that FG, or is the FG a software estimate ? I just ask because extracts are not as fermentable as grain, and contribute to a higher FG, and a sweeter beer. Though the lb of turbinado would help some. I don't think you're in any danger of this beer being too light in body.

Definitely agree you want more dark malts in that beer. With barrel aging you may want to go a little heavier on the dark malts than you would without a barrel-aged beer because the barrel is going to contribute a set of flavors and the time will help smooth out some of the roast character. Of course that depends upon how long the beer will age before you drink it. You may not want to age a beer in a fresh barrel for very long.

Have you brewed this recipe before and reached that FG, or is the FG a software estimate ? I just ask because extracts are not as fermentable as grain, and contribute to a higher FG, and a sweeter beer. Though the lb of turbinado would help some. I don't think you're in any danger of this beer being too light in body.[/quote]

I'll add that 4 oz of maple syrup is not going to do anything for you at all. I put 2 lb in 5 gallons of barley wine and it's a note, not the main note even but a note. unless you are just taking a guess on how much is in the barrel.

Yea, maybe I'll kill the maple. Was figuring to try to compliment the maple barrel a bit but you're right that it's probably too low to recognize.

or bump it way way up! 3 lbs maybe, skip the sugar. get the darkest maple you can find.